At Least Six Lose Their Lives in Crowd Crush at Ghanaian Military Recruitment Drive
At least 6 individuals have lost their lives during a crowd crush at a armed forces enlistment gathering held in a stadium in Ghana.
The Wednesday's "tragic" event appeared to have been triggered by "a sudden rush of candidates who breached security protocols and stormed the entrances," announced a release from the nation's military.
Twenty-two others were injured, including five who remain in serious state.
Thousands had gathered at the El-Wak sports venue, in the main city, Accra, with the aspiration of enlisting in the military.
Ghana has a youth unemployment rate of approximately 32%, the latest government statistics indicate, and such recruitment events normally attract massive gatherings and often result in disorderly situations.
The deadline to submit applications for this recruitment was prolonged for a seven days to allow for more applicants, as a number had experienced challenges in the process.
Army spokesperson Capt Veronica Adzo Arhin stated the stampede took place ahead of the event's scheduled start of 6:20 AM Greenwich Mean Time.
The nation's leader President John Mahama has gone to see the injured in medical care.
Calm has been restored, and the recruitment exercise has since started.
